Luminaire attaching means

ABSTRACT

Luminaire mounting or attaching structure adapted for cantilever attaching a street lighting luminaire to the support arm structure of the luminaire supporting mast or pole structure. The luminaire attaching structure includes means for trilaterally clamping the distal end portion of the luminaire support arm including the anvil jaw and a pair of wedge jaws. A single boltlike shaft having left-hand and right-hand thread portions is adapted to be turnably manipulated for causing converging or diverging movement of the pair of wedge jaw members respectively for causing trilateral clamping or loosening action of the anvil and wedge jaw members on the distal end of the luminaire support arm.

llite ,tates Starr [54] LUMIINAHRE ATTACHING MEANS [21] Appl. No.:850,853

2,908,469 10/1959 Mack et al ..248/23O 3,184,199 5/1965 Clark et al...248/230 Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz Attorney-John R. Walker,Ill

[5 7] ABSTRACT Luminaire mounting or attaching structure adapted forcantilever attaching a street lighting luminaire to the support armstructure of the luminaire supporting mast or pole structure. Theluminaire attaching structure includes means for trilaterally clampingthe distal end portion of the luminaire support arm including the anviljaw and a pair of wedge jaws. A single bolt-like shaft having left-handand right-hand thread portions is adapted to be tumably manipulated forcausing converging or diverging movement of the pair of wedge jawmembers respectively for causing trilateral clamping or loosening actionof the anvil and wedge jaw members on the distal end of the luminairesupport arm.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTl-innms m2 3.652.047

I N VE N TOR. GEORGE N. STARR BY W zh/a ji LUMINAIRE ATTACHING MEANSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The inventionrelates to street lighting luminaire fixture attaching means forcantilever attaching and elevatingly supporting a luminaire fixture onluminaire support arm structure.

2. Description of the Prior Art The conventional manner of attaching aluminaire on a luminaire support arm is by means of a pair of so-calledfitter clamps supported by threaded fastener means from the luminairehousing structure. The pair of fitter clamps are adapted to bridginglyspan the distal end portion of the luminaire support arm and to bethreadedly clamped against the support arm. Each fitter clamp of thepair of fitter clamps is threadedly supported by two clamp bolts whichare uniformly tightened or loosened in adjusting a fitter clamp to theluminaire support arm structure. An installer or lineman in installing aluminaire on the luminaire support arm structure typically tightens andloosens the bolts of each of the fitter clamps in obtaining horizontallinearity of the luminaire and in arranging the luminaire in correcthorizontal alignment with the roadway surface. In aligning or obtaininghorizontal linearity of a luminaire fixture, considerable skill andpractice is necessary on the part of the lineman or installer of theluminaire. The conventional luminaire fixture mounting means includesmeans for angularly shifting the distal or nose portion of the luminairefixture upwardly or downwardly substantially in either upwardly ordownwardly direction. Such angular adjustment of the cantileversupported luminaire is obtained by respectively loosening and tighteningthe fitter clamps on the distal end portion of the luminaire supportarm. Typically, the wrench-engaging head portions of the fitter clampadjustment screws project downwardly and access to the fitter clampadjustment screws are gained by opening the hinged lower housing of theluminaire. In mounting or adjusting the angularity of a luminaire, theworkman or installer must assume a rather awkward position in tighteningand loosening the fitter clamps and in working overhead in tightening orloosening the respective fitter head clamp screws projecting downwardlyin the bottom opening of the luminaire fixture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention includes luminairemounting means having only one threaded bolt-like shaft for clampinglysecuring the luminaire housing on the distal end of the luminairesupport arm. By turnably manipulating only a single threaded shaft, aluminaire may be installed on a luminaire support arm and the luminairefixture readily adjusted to obtain a desired horizontal linearity of theluminaire fixture relative to the roadway surface. The single adjustmentor bolt-like mounting shaft of the luminaire attaching means preferablyincludes a wrench-engaging head portion extending laterally horizontallythrough an aperture in the luminaire housing and externally of thehousing. A workman or installer installing a luminaire having theattaching means of the invention has only to turnably manipulate thesingle adjustment shaft in installing or adjusting the luminaire anddoes not need to gain entry or access to the interior of the luminaireas in prior art luminaire structures. The luminaire attaching means ofthe invention requires negligible skill or practice to accurately orproperly install a luminaire and provides sturdy and secure attachmentmeans for the luminaire fixture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an environmental showing ofthe luminaire attaching means of the present invention (shown in hiddenlines) illustrating the mounting of a luminaire on the luminaire supportarm structure of a luminaire fixture installation.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal plane sectional view of theluminaire attaching means as viewed upwardly on the line II-II of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical plane transverse sectionalview of the luminaire attaching structure taken as on the line III-Illof FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical plane transverse sectionalview taken as on the line IV--IV of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a vertical plane longitudinal sectional view taken as on theline V-V of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the jaw members of the attachingmeans of the present invention in a slightly modified form.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The luminaire attaching means of thepresent invention is indicated by numeral 1 l and is described inconjunction with a roadway or street lighting luminaire fixture 13 andluminaire support arm structure 15. Luminaire fixture l3 typicallyincludes an upper main housing 17 and a lower housing 19 supporting therefractor 21 of the luminaire.

Luminaire attaching means 11 includes an anvil jaw member 23 and a pairof wedge jaw members 25, 25' adapted to trilaterally clampingly engagethe distal end portion of luminaire support arm 15. Wedge jaw members25, 25' include respectively obliquely extending surface structure 27,27 adapted to clampingly engage the cylindrical outer surface of theluminaire support arm. In FIGS. 1 5 the jaw members 25, 25' are shown intheir simplified form to fit a support arm structure generally of onesize. However, the oblique surface structure of each of the jaw membersis preferably stepped as shown in FIG. 6 to provide two surfacestructures, 27a and 27b in place of the one (27) so that it is adaptedto fit support .arm structures of two different sizes. In other words,surface structure 27a is for a smaller support arm and 27b is for alarger support arm. Also, the surface structures 27a and 27b preferablyhave a slight curvature as shown, to accommodate the different angularpositions of the support arm relative to the jaw members. Guidestructure including a U-sectioned guideway member 29 guidinglyconstrains left and right wedge jaw members 25, 25' inconverging-diverging movement transversely of the luminaire support arm.Selectively operative force means including a contradirectionallythreaded shaft 31 is operative for causing converging or divergingmovement of wedge jaw members 25, 25. Threaded shaft structure 31preferably includes a wrench-engaging head portion 33 adapted to receivea hand wrench for turnably manipulating shaft 31 and forconverging-diverging movement of wedge jaw members 25, 25. Head portion33 of threaded shaft structure 31 preferably extends through an aperture35 formed in lateral vertical wall 37 of luminaire housing 17.

Anvil jaw member 23 preferably is adjustably supported subjacently onthe underside of luminaire housing top wall 39; anvil jaw member 23preferably is tiltably supported on the underside of luminaire housingtop wall 39 and is adapted to be self-adjusting to a certain angularadjustment of luminaire fixture l3. Anvil jaw member 23 preferably isrectangular elongated in horizontal section and is adapted to bearranged in corresponding longitudinal extension relative to luminairesupport arm 15. The underside portion of anvil jaw member 23 is formedwith longitudinally extending concave structure 41 adapted tocorrespondingly engage the upper cylindrical surface structure ofluminaire support arm 15. Anvil jaw member 23 is adapted to belongitudinally tiltably moved to corresponding parallel linearity withthe luminaire support arm upon transverse clamping engagement of wedgejaw members 25, 25 with the under cylindrical structure of the luminairesupport arm.

The means tiltably supporting anvil jaw member 23 from luminaire housing17 preferably includes corresponding raceway structure 43, 43' andrunner structure 45, 45' formed respectively superjacently on anvil jawmember 23 and subjacently on luminaire housing top wall structure 39.Raceway and runner structures 43, 43 and 45, 45' are arrangedrespectively symmetrically of a vertical plane lying coincident with thelongitudinal axis of the luminaire support arm and function forlongitudinally tilting anvil jaw member 23 relative to luminaire mainhousing structure 17.

A retainer bolt 47 extending upwardly through an elongated countersunkopening 49 in anvil jaw member 23 loosely retains race and runnerstructures 43, 43'; 45, 45' in corresponding arrangement while yetpermitting longitudinal tilting movement of the anvil jaw memberrelative to the luminaire housing. Retainer bolt 47 extends upwardlythrough elongated countersunk opening 49 of jaw member 23 and isthreadedly fixed in top wall 39 of luminaire housing 17. A downwardlyprojecting abutment flange 51 extending transversely across the inwardend portion of anvil jaw member 23 defines abutment structure forlimiting the entry of the distal end of support arm when luminairefixture 13 is fitted on support arm 15, abutment flange 51 abuttinglyengages distal edge 15" of tubular support arm 15 and correctlylongitudinally positions the luminaire housing relative to the supportarm.

Turnably manipulating threaded shaft 31 clockwise or counterclockwise iseffective for causing simultaneous equidistant converging or divergingmovement of left and right wedge jaw members 25, 25'. Lefthand threadmeans 53 and righthand thread means 53' interengaging respectively shaft31 with left and right wedge jaw members 25, 25 function for causingconverging or diverging movement of the wedge jaw members upon turningmovement of shaft 31. Clockwise turning of shaft 31 is operative forcausing converging movement of wedge jaw members 25, 25' and wedgingengagement of oblique surface structures 27, 27' of the wedge memberswith the under cylindrical surface of support arm 15.

Guideway member 29 extends subjacently transversely of support arm 15and preferably includes upwardly opening integrally formed channelstructure 55, 55 configured for snugly freely engaging respectivelysubstructure portions of wedge jaw members 25, 25'. Guideway member 29preferably includes coplanar horizontal oppositely projecting pairedflange portions 57, 57; 57, 57 fixed respectively on the undersurfaces59, 59' respectively of longitudinally extending depending bossstructure 61, 61. Capscrews 63, 63; 63, 63 extending upwardlyrespectively through flange portions 57, 57; 57 57 and threadedlyengaged respectively in boss structure 61, 61' fixedly dependinglysecure guideway member 29 on luminaire housing structure 17 andtransversely subjacently of luminaire support arm 15. Downwardly openingslot structure 65, 65' formed respectively in boss structure 61, 61accommodates the upper structure respectively of wedge jaw members 25,25' and prevents upward displacement of the jaw members when they are ininactive disposition. A transverse web portion 67 depending from housingtop wall 39 and bridgingly interconnecting housing sidewalls 37, 37preferably reinforces the luminaire housing structure and integrallyintersects boss structures 61, 61'. Wedge jaw members 25, 25 eachpreferably include paired rib portions 69, 69; 69 69 projecting upwardlyrespectively on opposite sides of the jaw members (rib portions 69', 69only illustrated in FIG. 5). Rib portions 69, 69; 69 69 provide meansfor reducing the horizontal extension or thickness of oblique surfacestructures 27, 27' ofjaw members 25, 25 Horizontally narrow obliquesurface structures 27, 27' provide respectively narrow wedge surfacesengaging the luminaire support arm and provide means for ready tiltingand angular adjustment of the luminaire housing relative to theluminaire support arm structure.

In installing street lighting luminaire fixture 13 on support armstructure 15, the following procedure may be carried out: With threadedshaft 31 turned counterclockwise and wedge members 25, 25 in a divergeddisposition, the luminaire fixture is translationally longitudinallymoved over the distal end of luminaire support arm 15. While elevatinglysupporting the forward nose end of the luminaire at a desiredangularity, wrench means may be utilized for clockwise turning threadedshaft 31 thereby conver ingly clamping wedge jaw members 25, 25' on theundersu ace of the support arm; converging movement of wedge jaw members25, 25' forces support arm 15 against concave structure 41 of anvil jawmember 23 thereby tiltably moving the anvil jaw member in parallelalignment with the support arm structure; the forward nose portion ofthe luminaire may be lifted or lowered to position the luminaire at adesired angularity; threaded shaft 31 is clockwise turned thereby withthe luminaire arranged at a desired angularity, trilaterally clampingjaw members 23, 25, 25 on the distal end of the luminaire support armstructure and cantilever supporting the luminaire structure on thesupport arm.

I claim:

1. The combination with a street lighting luminaire having a mainhousing and with luminaire support structure including support armstructure adapted for elevatingly supporting said luminaire, ofluminaire attaching means adapted for attaching the luminaire mainhousing structure to the distal end portion of said support armstructure comprising coacting anvil jaw means and wedge jaw meanssupported from said luminaire housing and adapted to clampingly engagethe distal end of said support arm and cantilever support said luminairehousing from said support arm, said wedge jaw means including a pair ofwedge jaw members including a left and a right jaw member arrangedrespectively on opposite sides of a vertical plane lying coincident withthe longitudinal axis of said support arm and with each wedge jaw memberhaving surface structure adapted to clampingly engage said support arm,means guidingly constraining said left and right wedge jaw member inconverging-diverging movement of each wedge jaw member respectivelytoward and away from said support arm, and including selectivelyoperative force means for causing forcible converging movement of saidpair of wedge jaws; said pair of wedge jaws and sail anvil jaw meansbeing adapted to generally trilaterally clampingly engage the distal endportion of said luminaire support arm upon converging clamping movementof said pair of wedge jaw members; said means guidingly constrainingsaid left and right wedge jaw members converging diverging movementincluding guideway structure defining left and right upwardly openingchannel structure configured for snugly freely engaging respectivelysaid left and right wedge jaw members and configured for translationalbidirectional movement of each wedge jaw member in converging-divergingmovement of said right and left wedge jaw members.

1. The combination with a street lighting luminaire having a mainhousing and with luminaire support structure including support armstructure adapted for elevatingly supporting said luminaire, ofluminaire attaching means adapted for attaching the luminaire mainhousing structure to the distal end portion of said support armstructure comprising coacting anvil jaw means and wedge jaw meanssupported from said luminaire housing and adapted to clampingly engagethe distal end of said support arm and cantilever support said luminairehousing from said support arm, said wedge jaw means including a pair ofwedge jaw members including a left and a right jaw member arrangedrespectively on opposite sides of a vertical plane lying coincident withthe longitudinal axis of said support arm and with each wedge jaw memberhaving surface structure adapted to clampingly engage said support arm,means guidingly constraining said left and right wedge jaw member inconverging-diverging movement of each wedge jaw member respectivelytoward and away from said support arm, and including selectivelyoperative force means for causing forcible converging movement of saidpair of wedge jaws; said pair of wedge jaws and sail anvil jaw meansbeing adapted to generally trilaterally clampingly engage the distal endportion of said luminaire support arm upon converging clamping movementof said pair of wedge jaw members; said means guidingly constrainingsaid left and right wedge jaw members converging diverging movementincluding guideway structure defining left and right upwardly openingchannel structure configured for snugly freely engaging respectivelysaid left anD right wedge jaw members and configured for translationalbidirectional movement of each wedge jaw member in converging-divergingmovement of said right and left wedge jaw members.